Stick to the food pyramid.
Eat a rainbow range of foods.
Love thy garlic.
Food scientists, holistic healers and practitioners of folk medicine may differ in their approach to sound nutrition. When it comes to staying healthy in flu season, though, they share a basic belief: Flu, a viral infection, cannot be prevented, but it may be discouraged by eating foods that enhance the immune system. The same holds true for that other viral scourge, the common cold.
Whether or not you received a flu shot this season, a healthy diet can only improve your chances of avoiding the nasty bug that causes discomfort at the very least and, in the most extreme cases, death. The U.S. records 36,000 deaths from flu annually.
“I’m not aware of a strong relationship between a person’s diet and the ability to ward off viruses such as the flu, other than a general overall healthful diet to help boost your immune system,” said Mark Kantor, associate professor in the University of Maryland’s nutrition and food science department.
If you want to actively work at skipping the flu, start with Kantor’s common-sense suggestion: Eat “lots of fruits and vegetables and whole grains and go easy on the fats and sweets.” Then, pay extra attention to the role certain foods and nutrients play in strengthening the body’s defense system.
Make nutrient-dense choices
A recent study of elderly individuals found, for example, that vitamins E, B-6 and B-12 “might help boost the body’s ammunition against cold and flu,” according to the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
“Healthy, nutrient-dense foods are the key to boosting the immune system at every level,” said Cindy Heroux, a dietitian in Orlando and author of “The Manual That Should Have Come With Your Body.”
Adequate protein (to form antibodies), vitamins B-6 and B-12, as well as vitamins A, C, E, folate (added to fortified cereals), iron, zinc and pantothenic acid found in mushrooms, peanuts and eggs are “the basic nutrients that support your immune system,” Heroux said.
For Elena Michaels, a naturopath in Santa Clarita, Calif., a flu-busting meal is as simple as preparing “homemade vegetable soup in a big kettle, with chicken or vegetable broth.” Add celery, sweet potatoes, onions and garlic “and it can last all week,” Michaels said. “It’s very preventative and supports the immune system.”
Steering clear of influenza is not about “just taking a multi-vitamin,” said Gretchen Heilman, a holistic health counselor in Baltimore. “A whole array of vitamins can be found in foods of all different colors.
With color-coded eating, you’re sure to consume a healthful range of cancer-fighting antioxidants and flavonoids (chemical compounds found in certain fruit, vegetables, teas, wines, nuts, seeds and roots that are antioxidants), she said.
Vitamin A is “very important to the immune system,” said Mary Ellen Camire, a food scientist at the University of Maine. Choose squash, spinach, sweet potatoes, vegetables in the dark-orange and dark-green range, she said, all widely available in the winter.
Nancy Childs, a professor of food marketing at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, is big on orange juice for its high vitamin C content, while Heilman cautions against juice with too much sugar, which “depresses your immune system.”
Praising functional foods
Flu phobics also may try to front-load their diet with servings of “functional foods,” which have been found to lower the risk of certain diseases beyond fulfilling basic nutritional needs.
Garlic, used medicinally since antiquity, “has been shown to have antibiotic and antiviral properties,” Heroux said. “You need to eat about two raw cloves a day to get maximum benefit.” Although garlic is most effective in its raw state–cooking it deactivates some of the enzymes–“you can take it in supplement form, freeze-dried in capsules,” Heroux said. Yogurt with active or live cultures is another functional food that experts are praising for its ability to promote gastrointestinal health. Friendly bacteria, known as probiotics, can “help to protect the body’s defensive barriers by discouraging the growth of infectious bacteria,” Heroux said.
Yakult, popular in Asia and Europe, as well as DanActive, available in the U.S., are yogurt drinks power-packed with beneficial bacteria. But any yogurt that contains live or active culture is also effective.
“Having those bacteria in our bodies does stimulate our immune system,” Camire said. “It helps us to ward off food poisoning and seems to help out the immune system overall.”
Other foods with beneficial immune properties that may surpass basic nutritional elements include shellfish, which contains selenium, and salmon, which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, critical for activating disease-fighting T-cells. Black and green tea are also thought to bolster T-cell production.
Shiitake mushrooms have been used in Japan and China for centuries as an immune booster, and recent studies support their effectiveness in combating colds, flu and other maladies. Ginger, onions and blueberries are also thought to have immune-enhancing properties.
Above all, Heroux said, stay hydrated. Not only do water and other liquids “help flush everything through the system,” they prevent nasal passages from drying out, Heroux said, adding that dried-out passages make one more susceptible to invasion by cold or flu viruses.
Water works best, the nutritionist said, followed by herbal teas, regular tea, coffee, fruit juices and other drinks diluted with water and milk.
If the flu still knocks you out, chicken soup remains the ultimate comfort food, even if its legendary curative powers have not been definitively proven. Its steamy broth relieves a congested nose and sinuses, as does a dose of ground red pepper or chili peppers. And if you make a soup chockablock with carrots, garlic and onions, you’re also shoring up your immune system for the next flu season.
Immune-booster salad
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Chilling time: 1-3 hours
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from “The Manual That Should Have Come With Your Body,” by Cindy Heroux.
Dressing and marinade:
1/3 cup oil, preferably soybean or olive
1/3 cup light soy sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice or honey
2 tablespoons white or rice vinegar
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger root, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Salad:
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined
8 cups assorted greens, the darker the color the better
2 oranges or tangerines, sectioned
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped walnuts
1. For dressing, blend ingredients in a food processor. Chill 1/2 cup of the dressing; combine remaining dressing with the shrimp in small covered bowl or airtight bag. Marinate 1-3 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Heat a broiler or grill pan. Drain shrimp; place on broiler pan. Broil until shrimp just turn pink, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.
3. Place greens in large salad bowl; top with oranges, tomatoes, onion, walnuts and shrimp. Toss with chilled dressing to taste.
Nutrition information per serving:
501 calories, 60% of calories from fat, 34 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 172 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrates, 34 g protein, 1,091 mg sodium, 6.5 g fiber
Butternut and mushroom soup
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
Adapted from restaurant-hospitality.com.
3 medium butternut squash, halved, seeded
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons butter
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 piece (1 inch long) ginger root, grated
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Ground red pepper
3/4 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rub squash flesh with 3/4 teaspoon of the cumin, half of the minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper. Place in baking pan; roast until soft, about 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook onion, mushrooms and remaining garlic in butter in a large stockpot until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth and juice; heat to a boil.
3. Scoop cooked squash from skin; add to stockpot. Add cinnamon, ginger, mustard, red pepper to taste and remaining cumin, salt and black pepper. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Add cilantro; adjust seasonings to taste.
Nutrition information per serving:
375 calories, 14% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 81 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 1,356 mg sodium, 13 g fiber
